JOURNEY. || haruno sakura

02

****

Six years has passed since then. The weak young girl from back then has grew, although she can't guarantee that she had grown any stronger from then.

Haruno Sakura, now a young kunoichi training at an academy to be strong and admirable shinobi. She was intelligent and had set a new goal: to be the strongest kunoichi in Konoha and beyond!

Amazing indeed, just one problem. She is not at all prepared for on-field battles. Sakura could count on one hand how many times she had actually won against someone in hand-to-hand combat, but was an absolute powerhouse in exams.

She was no good for battle, but this did not drag her down. She trained everyday to make herself stronger and increase her endurance so she at least won't be a hindrance.

Thankfully, Ino agreed to help her.

Back when she was in a vulnerable state right after losing her loved ones, Ino was the one there for her. She helped awaken Sakura's confidence, protect her from bullies, and supported her no matter what. Sakura was forever thankful for that.

"Look, try to hit one of those rocks!"

They were at Ino's house this time, and they practiced throwing shurikens. Ino was of course an amateur at shuriken throwing but she managed to get the aim right after practising for some time.

Sakura inhaled a deep breath, and exhaled. With all her might, she threw it but it instead flew off into the wrong direction and hit one of Ino's flower pots, breaking it.

The girls watched as the pot crumbled and the flower withered.

Ino shrieked, and tried to piece together the pot before anyone noticed. "Ino? Are you alright-" Ino's mother's mouth was agape, absolutely shocked having seen the monstrous scene laid in front of her.

"The flower pot!" Ino rubbed the back of her head in innocence, nervously smiling before her mother shoved her and Sakura away to practice somewhere else.

Sakura's face was flushed and she was absolutely mortified by what she has done, constantly apologizing. "Look, I'm not mad at you but I know my mother is. It's best if we don't practice at home now anymore. Anyway, how can someone even have that bad of an aim?"

Sakura shrugged, and Ino only rubbed her temple, her head hurting. "Wanna go get some dango?" Ino got hungry from all that mess. "Yeah, sure!" Sakura agrees to the blonde's suggestion with no hesitation.

Ino wrapped her arm around Sakura's and they together went down to Konoha's streets to get a snack instead of practicing.

****

"Forehead, I have something to confess,"

Sakura, who was flicking through the pages of her book about medical nin only hummed a musical tune and averted her gaze to Ino.

They were in Ino's room, Sakura on a chair and Ino with her legs crossed on her bed opposite to her best friend.

Ino's cheeks were tinted pink, and she was in cold sweat. "I... I like Sasuke!"

Sakura's emerald tinted green eyes blinked in confusion as her best friend's face grows beet red.

"Okay, good for you. Who's Sasuke?"